Dustpan



July 12, 1949- P. w. JOHNSON DUSTPAN Filed April 15, 1947 0000 0 0000000 000000000000000000000 00000000000 0000000000 0M0N0M000000000000 000 0 0000000000 0 0 00000000000000 0 0000000000000 INVENTR.

PAUL. W- JOHNSN ATTORNEYS Patented July 12, 1949 `UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE `DUSTPAN `Paul W. Johnson, .SanMatem Calif.

Application April '15, 1947, Serial No.'741,499

. 6 Claims. l

`The present invention relates :to .improvements in dust pans; and it `consists of the combinations, constructions ...and arrangement Iof parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the `ordinary metal `type `dust pan, as widely employed in homes and elsewhere, rthe :lead edge thereof often `become bent or warped. This Lis dueto the dust Apan being lbattered, or from general use, and `greatly reduces :the eiciency of the dust pan, since the "leadledge no longer will make uninterrupted contact with the floor.

Accordingly, an object :of Amy invention is to provide a dust pan having la sheet of tough fabric material forming the `bottom thereof. A pair of frames aresecured to the sheet in such a manner that the :latter zmay `be held taut during use of Moreoventhe conventionalmetal dust pan, and l even the 4plastic type, will `Scratch or mar the floor. This disadvantage is-overcomein my dust pan, `since the lead edge of the dustpan is fashioned Vfrom fabric.

In emptying `sweepings `from awmetal dust lpan, it -is difficult to transfer them to bags or containers, `especially when the latter :are not as wide -as the dust pan. `A :still further object of my invention, therefore, lis tozprovidea dustpan in :which 4the -width of the dust pan may be reduced `and the fabric mbottom `thereof `given a chute-like shape. This arrangement will allow the sweepings to vbe placed Iinto a `bag or container with facility :and vease.

Other objects and advantageswwill `appear `as the specification continues, and the novel features of my invention will be set forth in the appended claims.

`For .-,a .better `:understanding `of `the invention, reference should be had to the laccompanying drawing, forming Apart `of this application, in which:

Figure i1 is a plan view of rmy dust pan;

l Figure 2 `isan ,isometric viewof lthe upper `lefthand corneraof Figure 1, .disclosingthe fabricbottomprior to being folded `back .upon itself lto form the lead edge .of .the .dust pan;

`'Figure 43 is a view lsimilar :to Figure 2, and il lustrating the fabric bottom after the forward portion thereof has Vbeen turned back upon itself;

Figure 4 is a View of the sheet of fabric material on a reduced scale; and

Figure 5 is an isometric view of the completed dust pan.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that Various changes, or modifications, may be `made within the scope ofthe annexed claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Referring to the drawing vin detail, I provide a pair of frames A, `which are fhinged together by a pin I. This Vhingegrpin is disposed :between the leading or forward ends `2 and the trailing .or rearward ends f3 of `the frames. The forwardsections 4 of the frames :in :frontfof the 7hinge .pin are moveable towardand away fromeach other,lwhile the rearward sections .5 lthereof disposed in back of the pin constitute a pair `of handles.

It will `beobvious yfrom the `construction `thus far described that the forward sections 4 are moveable away Afrom-reach other when the `handles 5 are pressed towardfone another. A small chain 6 limits the-separation .l of Athe handles, and may be used for hanging the dust -pan on a hook or other support.

The frames ,A are channebshaped in transverse section; Vand-each `include upper and llower flanges 1 .and 8 respectively, which are interconnected by 4a web Al). .'Ilhe flanges B are wider than the flanges `'L 'The frames-define side walls Band aback wall C ,for `a dust pan. Resilient bumpers Dare secured to the underneath `sides of the lower flanges 8 `and `project toward `one another from v,oppositesidesof the dust pan.

The bottom of .the dust ,pan is .fashioned from asheet `of flexible material 4indicated generally at E. A piece of tough fabric Lmay be used for this purpose. Themarginal porticnsof the sheetof material is cemented `or otherwise secured to the uppersurfaces of 4the lower flanges `il.

.Slits yIll are vcut in .the sheet `in registry with the rear vedges ll of the-bumpers D. `The forward part 1| 2 ofthe sheet l is drawn beneath fthe -bumpers, as shown fin Figure 2, -and thenisfolded'back over the bumpersasdisclosed in Figure 3. The folds 'thus provided lat-the lead edgeof the dust pan .bottom arecementedhor otherwise anchored together, as at I4 (see Figure 3). These folds reinforce the lead edge and enclose `the bumpers D.

In Figure `1, I show a spring l5 that is coiled around the hinge pin. The arms I5a-of the spring bear against the `web r9 of the back wall C and urge the side wall B :away vfrom each other so as to obtain a slight .outward llateral tension on the sides B. A 'tab IB on ithe sheet `is turned upwardly so as to conceal the spring I(see Figure 5).

When the handles 5 are firmly grasped and pressed toward one another, the fabric bottom provided by the sheet E will be drawn taut. Accordingly, the lead edge I1 will be held straight and can be placed flush against a floor. By slightly releasing the grip on the handles, the central part of the fabric bottom and the lead edge will drop downwardly. This will give the bottom of the dust pan a chute-like shape, which will facilitate transfer of sweepings into a bag or container F.

In the event that the operator desires to obtain a pronounced chute G., as illustrated in Figure 5, so as to transfer sweepings to a relatively small necked bag, the handles 5 may be pressed apart.

Having thus described the various parts of my dust pan, the use thereof may be summarized briefly as follows:

The operator grasps the handles 5 and presses them toward one another. This will move the side walls B of the dust pan outwardly and draw the fabric bottom E taut. Therefore, the lead edge l1 can be placed flat against a floor and dust or other matter swept over the lead edge into the dust pan.

Upon relaxing the grip on the handles 5, the central part of the fabric bottom and its lead edge will sag downwardly, forming a chute to facilitate discharge of the sweepings into a bag or container F. As previously pointed out, the operator can move the handles 5 apart still further to obtain a pronounced chute G. The lead edge I1 will not scratch and can be used. on highly polished surfaces.

In smaller sizes, the pan would be suitable when brushing crumbs from tables. The dust pan also lends itself to wide use of color combinations. It is very light in weight as compared with al1-metal dust pans. The frames A may be made of plastic or' other suitable material.

I claim:

1. In a dust pan; a pair of frames hinged ton gether between the forward and rearward ends thereof; the forward sections of the frames in front of the hinge defining side walls and a back wall for a dust pan; the hinge being arranged at the back wall of the dust pan; the rearward sections of theframes constituting a pair of handles extending rearwardly beyond the hinge; and a sheet of flexible material secured to the frames forwardly of the hinge and providing a bottom for the dust pan; the sides of the dust pan being swingable away from each other to make the sheet of material taut when the handles are pressed toward one another.

2. In a dust pan; a pair offrames hinged together between the forward and rearward ends thereof; the forward sections of the frames in front of the hinge defining side walls and a back wall for a dust pan; the hinge being arranged at the back wall of the dust pan; the rearward sections of the frames constituting a pair of'handles extending rearwardly beyond the hinge; a sheet of flexible material secured to the frames forwardly of the hinge and providing a bottom for the dust pan; the sides of the dust pan being swingable away from each other to make the sheet of material taut when the' handles are pressed'toward one another; and yielding means urging the side walls apart.

3. In a dust pan; a pair of frames hinged together between the forward and rearward ends cealing the spring.

4 thereof; the forward sections of the frames in front of the hinge defining side walls and a back wall for a dust pan; the hinge being arranged at the back wall of the dust pan; the rearward sections of the frames constituting a pair of handles extending rearwardly beyond the hinge; and a sheet of flexible material secured to the frames forwardly of the hinge and providing a bottom for the dust pan; the sides of the dust pan being swingable away from each other to make the sheet of material taut when the handles are pressed toward one another; the side walls being swingable toward one another to slacken the sheet of material and allow the latter to sag into a chute-like shape.

4. In a dust pan; a pair of frames hinged together; .the frames defining side walls and a back wall for a dust pan; the frames being -channelshaped in transverse section; the channel of each frame including upper and lower flanges interconnected by a web; the flanges of one frame facing toward the flanges of the other frame; and a sheet of flexible material secured to the lower flanges of the channels and providing a bottom for the dust pan.

5. In a dust pan; a pair of frames hinged together; the frames defining side walls and a back wall for a dust pan; 'the frames being channelshaped in transverse section; the channel of each frame including upper and lowerr flanges inter-connected. by a web; the flanges of one frame facing toward the flanges of the other frame; a resilient bumper anchored to the lower flange of each frame at the forward ends of the latter; the bumper on one frame extending toward the bumper on the other frame; and a sheet of flexible material secured to the lower flanges of the channels and providing a bottom for the dust pan; the section of the sheet of material at the leading edge of the dust pan being turned back upon itself and enclosing the bumpers; the layers of material dened by the turned back portion and the sheet itself being anchored together to provide a reinforced leading edge for the dust pan.

6. In a dust pan; a pair of frames hinged together; the frames defining side walls and a back wall for av dust pan; the hinge being arranged at the back wall of the dust pan; a spring disposed at the hingegfor yieldingly urging the side walls away from eachother; and a sheet of flexible material secured to the frames and providing a bottom for the dust pan; the sheet having a tab coacting with the backA wall for PAUL W. JOHNSON.

file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number l Name Date 422,240 Marshall Feb. 25, 1890 728,110 Jenkins May 12, 1903 1,260,620 Armstrong Mar. 26, 1918 1,318,539 Butcher Oct. 14,' 1919 1,378,607 Norton May 17, 1921 '1,893,426 Mahoney Jan. 3, 1933 1,903,277 Barnes Apr. 4, 1933 1,982,182 Stover NOV. 27, 1934 con- 

